The international break ended this week for all nations, and it is time to take stock of Craig Bellamy’s players. Where do the Welsh stand in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup?

While the leagues were on hiatus, three Welsh players made their debut for the Welsh national team: Joel Colwill, Ronan Kpakio and Kai Andrews. The first two benefited from the Bluebirds’ strong start to League One, sitting top of the table with a total of six clean sheets in eight games in all competitions. If their performances continue like this, the Colwill brothers can hope to see their older brother Ruben return to the national team, as he was not called up due to injury in the last match. This brotherly duo could be a great asset to the Welsh team.

The Dragons did not perform perfectly in these two World Cup qualifiers. The victory over Kazakhstan was not necessarily reassuring, as Wales struggled to break the deadlock and secure the win (final score 1-0). It was therefore under pressure that they secured these three much-needed points in a highly competitive group. The second match ended with the same score, but not in the right direction for Craig Bellamy’s men. Although Wales had a lot of possession (63%), it took much more than that to overcome a very solid Canadian team on the pitch. Derek Cornelius’ magnificent free kick before the break seemed to knock the wind out of the Welsh team, who never really managed to get back on track. This is Bellamy’s second defeat since his appointment.

In the standings, the Dragons are now third, level on points with Belgium (second) and one point behind North Macedonia, who surprisingly sit top of the group. As a reminder, the top team in the group qualifies directly for the World Cup, while the second-placed team will have to go through the play-offs. Let’s hope the Welsh can avoid these extra matches.

The next gathering is in October with two big games: a friendly against England and a qualifying match against Belgium. The latter is crucial if they are to finish top of the group.

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